Machines for erecting bottle carrier cartons from a collapsed into a set-up condition are well-known in the art as evidenced by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,780,970 to Gentry, 3,027,815 to Anness et al, and 3,343,466 to Sherman. Typical examples of machines for loading articles into cartons are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,332,200 to Englander, 3,553,927 to Anglade, and 3,864,890 to Ullman. The latter two patents show arrangements wherein bottles are advanced along a downwardly inclined path while being suspended from their necks and then placed or drop-loaded into cartons or crates. Such machines, however, have serious deficiencies as will be pointed out hereinafter.